Seeking innovations from individuals, libraries, organizations, and others that could play a part in the building of a digital public library.

In May 2011, the Digital Public Library of America Steering Committee announced a Beta Sprint to seek ideas and models that demonstrate how the DPLA might index and provide access to a wide range of broadly distributed content. In September 2011, an independent review panel appointed by the DPLA Steering Committee reviewed the betas. Based on the panel’s recommendations, the Steering Committee invited creators of the most promising betas to present their ideas during the first plenary meeting, in October 2011. These betas are:

The Steering Committee is currently reviewing comments on these betas and guiding development of a working prototype for the DPLA. Successful beta sprinters have been invited to contribute to the DPLA technical development plan.

A full list of final Beta Sprint submissions, including interactive demos, is available at Beta Sprint Submissions.

September 12, 2011

The Beta Sprinters are a diverse group of non-profits, media organizations, academic and public librarians, students, government agencies, and interested individuals throughout the United States (along with a few participants from even further afield).